watch over my sleep (beware of my nightmares)
by Xephonia
Summary: Ryouga and Kaito have quite a dangerous phone app; "Numbers Hunters". The spirit Ryouga has gotten involved with isn't nice to be around.


Despite having been friends for a long time, Kaito and Ryouga don't really meet up all that often. They text. If they do meet up, things tend to go to the territory beyond friendship, which is why they don't do the meeting up thing all that often; it makes things complicated—

—which is why when Ryouga calls Kaito over saying it's urgent, Kaito immediately decides that he won't hunt tonight.

"...You want me to sleep over here because of Shark Drake?"

"He only leaves me alone when you're around."

"Just delete the app."

"Can't."

'Numbers Hunters'. A new phone app, known for only being available to very few people; 'chosen' people. There are one hundred Numbers and each of them has a unique personality, but there are non-Numbers using the app, too.

Yes, _using_ the app.

The beings using the app identify themselves as spirits, lending power to their users in exchange for being allowed to interact with the human world. At least that's what the app description says.

It sounded like a nice app with a really good AI to most of its users, but Ryouga knows better.

Shark Drake is real and he won't leave Ryouga alone, ever.

"What do you mean, 'can't'?" Kaito sighs. "Give me your phone." Ryouga hands it over without protest; this is serious.

He wants a night without nightmares of his sister's accident.

"...What does he mean by 'accept me'?" Kaito raises an eyebrow. "And what is that about your sis—"

"Just try to delete the app and stop reading my conversations with him."

"Galaxy-Eyes would hate him. Way too pushy." Kaito presses the delete-button...

and nothing happens.

"It doesn't work, what—"

A text.

 _[Galaxy-Eyes and I have our differences, but it could be worse.]_

"...He's talking to me."

"See if you can convince him to leave me alone."

"Fine."

[Can you leave Ryouga alone? I don't wanna have to sleep over at his place.]

 _[You two should read the terms and conditions.]_

"...A spirit from another world told me to read the terms and conditions of a phone app."

Ryouga tries to muffle his own laughter by holding his mouth, but Kaito's glare makes him become serious again. "Fine, let's read them."

' **1.2. Contract with a spirit from Astral or Barian World**  
Should a spirit choose the hunter ("you") as its host, the right to delete this application perishes. The spirit has full access to your memories and can talk to you. It is able to see and hear anything that you see and hear. It may choose to take over your body if it considers that an appropriate means of Numbers Hunting and you lack the resistance to keep the control over your body. It will and can communicate with other spirits and hunters. Should you attempt to destroy or separate from their mobile device, the spirit may take measures to follow you.'

"...Seriously?!"

"Ryouga?"

"Yeah?" Ryouga scowls.

"Where were you at 4 AM last night?"

"Asleep, why? Seriously Kaito, you're cree—"

"Then Shark Drake has been taking over your body. I saw you at Heartland Tower last night."

"What?!"

 _[You're sharp. Galaxy-Eyes hadn't figured it out yet.]_

"Tch." Kaito quickly types a reply. [You're just being too obvious about it.]

"...You're definitely sleeping over tonight."

"You want me to fight a spirit? I'm not insane."

"You're a Numbers Hunter."

Kaito crosses his arms. "Have you ever collected a Numbers on your own?"

"No, they always just appeared in my inventory and I thought—"

"That they chose you? You're quite the romantic." Kaito sighs now. "If you lose a Numbers battle, your soul is taken by the winner."

"There's no way a phone app can do that."

Kaito gestures at Ryouga's phone in his hand. "I think we have proof that in fact, it can."

"All the more reason for you to sleep over."

"...Fine."

 _[You do realize I'm hearing you?]_

[Can you just not take over Ryouga's body and save me the trouble?]

 _[That depends on his willpower.]_

* * *

Ryouga is lying next to Kaito, already asleep, and so far nothing has happened. The moonlight makes Kaito think, and even if it didn't, he still wouldn't be able to sleep since Ryouga is an actual ticking time bomb at this point.

[Galaxy-Eyes.]

[Why is it that Shark Drake leaves Ryouga alone when I'm around?]

 _(He's talking to me when you two are together, usually.)_

[I didn't know you were talking to other spirits.]

 _(I don't do it all that often.)_

 _(Shark Drake has taken interest in you. Be careful.)_

Kaito just nods and puts his phone on the nightstand.

He yawns and leans back a little, trying to ignore how much Ryouga clutches at his shirt.

"No..."

Kaito becomes more alert again. "Ryouga?"

But Ryouga's asleep, his grip on Kaito's shirt is like iron, and Kaito realizes that those must be the nightmares Ryouga mentioned once.

"Rio... don't go... STOP!"

This time, Kaito takes the initiative and attempts to shake Ryouga awake. "Ryouga! Open your eyes, it's a dream!"

Ryouga does in fact open his eyes, but they are red.

Kaito reacts fast, but not fast enough; Shark Drake catches his wrist before he can get away.

"This is the first time we meet in person, isn't it?" Shark Drake sounds like Ryouga, but at the same time not at all. Like a predator.

"Just give Ryouga his body back or—"

"Or what? You can't kill him anyway, so what threat do you have?" Shark Drake leans in and smiles a smile that sends shivers down Kaito's spine.

Not the kind of shivers people get when they are scared; more like the shivers of genuine shock. Kaito didn't think Ryouga's face could have that expression.

Kaito swallows. "I can. Galaxy-Eyes can."

"Why don't you just become my host instead? Your desires are similar to Ryouga's, if you just accept me, we could save Haruto. There's no saving for Ryouga's sister, after all."

"...What is that supposed to mean?" Kaito finds it hard to breathe.

"The harm done to Ryouga's sister was done by a human, I can't reverse it. But Haruto is sick because of the Barian World. That's why you're collecting the Numbers to begin with, isn't it? The powers of Astral World, the powers of the Numbers..." Shark Drake's mouth is almost on Kaito's ear now, and he whispers, "...could cure Haruto."

"You can cure Haruto?" Kaito only breathes the words, and he barely registers Shark Drake's arms around his waist.

"Just accept me," Shark Drake insists and leans in closer, now facing Kaito directly. "Kaito."

Kaito feels his lips meet Shark Drake's, and it _hurts_. It's like electricity; it snaps him back to his senses— _no, Shark Drake is deceiving you, he won't help Haruto_ — and the hurt is good.

Kaito bites down. Tastes blood and—

—hears Ryouga shout, "Ouch, that hurts, you bastard!"

"...You're back?" Kaito manages to say, still breathless from what just happened.

Ryouga opens his eyes, blue as usual, and Kaito sighs in relief.

Scooting away from Kaito, Ryouga traces over his lower lip and sucks up the remaining blood. "Did Shark Drake—"

"Take over your body? Kiss me? Yeah."

"Sorry." Ryouga scowls. "But was that necessary?!" He points at his lip.

"Definitely.."

"Bastard," Ryouga hisses and let's himself fall back into bed. "Let's go back to sleep."

Kaito glances at the clock. 3:25 AM. He figures Shark Drake isn't being subtle about the time he's the most active at.

"...You're just gonna dream about Rio again."

"Did you read that on my phone?"

"No, you just talk in your sleep." Kaito lays down next to Ryouga.

"Tch."

There's a pause during which they just stare at the ceiling.

Then.

"I don't know what happened. She was hunting Numbers, then there was a fire. She's been comatose ever since. I'm sure it had to do with her opponent."

"So that's why you installed the app. Revenge."

"Yeah. I wanted to hunt him down."

"I heard that the spirits' personalities are based on your strongest desire when installing the app."

As he says that, it occurs to Kaito that he should talk to Galaxy-Eyes later.

"Why would my strongest desire haunt me?"

"Self-loathing for being unable to protect her."

"You damn—" Ryouga stops in his tracks and sighs.

Kaito's expression looks calmer by now. "Go sleep. I'll watch again."

* * *

Nothing happens for the rest of the night, and Kaito downs a cup of coffee after two hours because he knows he won't get sleep for a while.

He takes out his phone. [Galaxy-Eyes. Did you protect me?]

 _(I'm a spirit from Barian World. Shark Drake's energy and mine rejected each other, and you felt it.)_

[...Does that mean you are responsible for Haruto's sickness?]

 _(No. I do not know who did it.)_

Kaito sighs. It's good that Galaxy-Eyes isn't his enemy, but that still leaves the question who put Haruto in that state.

[Thanks, I guess, then. What desire of mine do you embody?]

 _(The desire to protect. As long as you protect Haruto, I will protect you.)_

[I see.]

[Do you think that taking Ryouga along for the hunt would be a good idea?]

 _(Better than leaving him alone with Shark Drake.)_

Kaito nods and yawns. He glances at Ryouga and wonders how someone who tries to be so tough can be so cuddly.

* * *

It's 10 AM and Kaito is about to fall asleep when Ryouga wakes up.

"You... actually stayed up?" Ryouga asks, yawns and ignores the fact that Kaito seems slightly confused by the way Ryouga's arms are wrapped around his body.

"I don't wanna make out with dangerous spirits from other worlds. Also, what the hell are you doing with your arms?"

"You're warm, stop complaining and go sleep."

"Are we sleeping in shifts—" Kaito's words are muffled by Ryouga's lips on his and the slightly painful feeling of teeth tugging on his lower lip. "...What was that for?"

"For what you've done to my lip. Also it's my way of thanking you."

"You're implying that you're good at kissing and that I've actually wanted this."

"Can you deny it?"

"Shut up." Kaito pushes Ryouga down and kisses him.

Kaito's sleep will have to wait.


End file.
